Thunder Clap
by Solarchild95
Summary: 20 years since 10 people died at the battle of Volterra- Charlotte and Garrett were 3 of the survivors. After losing their loved ones, both are finding it hard to return to realtiy- when the un-expected happens.
1. Chapter 1

20 years. 20 years since my sweet Kate had given herself up to death in order to save the 4 out of 14 who had survived the battle. 4, out of 14. Thinking about everyone else, burning in the woods of Volterra- was horrifying. The fact that they were friends, people I knew, was even worse. Jasper, Edward, Charlotte and I- all lost our mates that day or previous. Edward- who had seen the remainder of his family perish, had run off shortly before returning to the US. Jasper- had stayed with me and Charlotte but he felt like it was right to go on wanders again till the end of time he'd say. Charlotte and I were the only ones who lived in Forks now. I had had the chance to leave her behind, and return to Denali to Carmen and Eleazar- the only two people I know that didn't fight, other than Reneesme and the wolves. I would have gone, but there were two reasons to my choice of staying. 1 being, I couldn't bear to return to the place I had first kissed Kate. 2nd of all, a long time ago I had promised Peter something…

_I followed Peter into the woods. It was hard to tell what had actually happened but from past experience- I could tell he had hit her. Hitting a woman was wrong. They were precious creatures that should not be harmed. I was angry at Peter for hitting Charlotte but I could not stay angry for long. I didn't know the reason why but I doubt he'd come up with a good enough reason to stop me hating him. I slowed to a walk to find Peter sitting on a rock that poked through the soil of the forest. __  
__  
"Why did you hit her" I spat__  
"I…I couldn't help it…." he sighed__  
"Sure"__  
"No…seriously." he said forcefully__  
I paused- maybe he couldn't help it. Maybe he didn't want to tell me why he couldn't help it "Okay…"__  
He sighed "She hates me"__  
"I'm sure she doesn't" __  
"She does..__.__I hurt her"__  
"she'll forgive you….go see her now"__  
Peter sighed before standing- he went to walk off before he turned to me "Promise me something"__  
"uhh"__  
"Please"__  
"Okay"__  
"Anything?"__  
"Anything"__  
"If something happens to me, look out for Charlotte…"__  
"Okay"__  
"You promise"__  
"I promise…"__  
_  
And since I am not a man to break my promise- I have kept a watchful eye on little Charlotte. She is almost always silent now- muttering few words out of her mouth, most of the time they don't make any sense at all and are just random strings of words she's put together; but I can always be sure of one thing. Is that she's talking about Peter. She always is- sitting on her windowsill looking out into the woods. I sometimes wonder if she's lost her sanity- she probably has. Though I had been able to protect her from killing herself- I hadn't been able to stop her from chopping half her hair off so it just reached above her shoulders. She nearly set the bloody things on me, and don't get me started about the cat.

I stand there, watching as she stares out the window again. How long has it been since I last heard her talk. A while now- and it was driving me insane- the silence. It was creepy and annoying and it felt lonely all the time. I missed Kate- she didn't stop talking. She would tell me that Charlotte needed a hug but I didn't want to go there after she tried to kiss me last Friday. It was awkward. I had promised Peter I'd look after her but not love her in the way he had done her. I turned to return to the kitchen when she finally spoke for the first time in a long time.

"…He's dead…..He isn't coming home…is he"

I turned to her. It was like as if she had refused to believe of his death until now. It was sad.

"No…he's not"

She nods, and for the first time in a long time- runs upstairs, her short hair bouncing behind her. I watch as she goes and wonder what she is thinking- and how she is feeling at this very moment in time. I sigh and return to what I was doing. I haven't thought of Kate in a long time, but when I close my eyes I see us together kissing each other, whispering sweet things into each other's ears. I wonder if Charlotte ever had that. She seems too modest and innocent for...well you know. I smirk slightly shaking my head-thinking about what Kate would say;

"She just as much angel as I am a lightning rod"

I chuckle to myself and think about her some more...


	2. Chapter 2

It had been some time since Charlotte had gone upstairs- 8 hours at the most. The sun had gone away and now the moon shone brightly in the satin sky. I wondered if she was okay, as I climbed the stairs towards my bedroom. Sometimes I wish I wasn't as distant from Charlotte as I was- but I didn't want to get involved. She was confused, lonely, mourning widow and I know how crazy they can be- having an experience with one called Kelly was the worst experience that one could have. As I walked past Charlotte's room, I heard quiet sobbing; a sound, which for some reason or another, really tugged at my heart strings. I peered through the door, only to see half the room upside down- curtains torn of its railing, books torn in two, fluff from pillows, a mirror broken and a little vampire curled up on the remains of the mattress.

Though she wasn't a mate, I still cared a little for charlotte. She was a friend, like a sister. She needed protecting- seeing her in such a vulnerable position broke my heart a little bit. Pushing the door open, I stepped inside. Charlotte did not look up from the foetal position she was in- not even when I perched on the edge of the wrecked bed beside her; Charlotte's petite body shaking with sobs. I settled a hand on her back, and she finally responded; her body turning her bright red eyes staring at me. I gave her a warm smile before she threw her arms around me in a tight embrace. I slowly hugged back, cautious of my actions. She looked up at me through the strands of blonde hair that fell messily across her face. I cringed thinking of intimate moments where I would be in the same position- holding Kate instead.

"..I ..I thought…" she sobbed "…I hoped.."

I pulled her tighter against my chest "I know you did….I hoped for a while too, but I gave that up"

"Why?" she questioned, almost child like

"Because no one comes back from the dead- not even the undead"

She looked down "Do you think we'll find anyone else…"

I shook my head "no…"

"Why not?"

"You know why," I replied with sigh "Mates, mate for life…even after death"

"….you're only being nice to me because you promise Peter you'd protect me"

"How" I began but she quickly cut me off

"He wants to make sure I'm looked after if anything were to happen to him…" she pauses before looking at me "Kate made me promise one thing too…"

I looked at her, frowning. I didn't understand what she meant until her hand went round the back of my head and pulled my hair tie from its place- causing all the hair that had been tied back, fell across my shoulders. I looked at her, remembering what she had done last week.

"Charlotte- I told you…" I sighed angrily

"I promised Kate I'd give you everything.." she whispered quietly, running a hand through my hair

I swallowed- feeling incredibly awkward considering I still had feelings for Kate- even though she was dead and gone- never coming back. I watched as Charlotte leant up and kissed my lips gently. I pulled back and shook my head"

"No"

"I promised…"

I looked at Charlotte once more, her eyes twinkling in the moonlight. Peter had been right- charlotte did look stunning in the moon light- the way the silver moon rays refracted the slightest to make her skin glow pale like the colours of a rainbow. I thought back to my promise, Kate and then the promise again. I sighed inwardly as I leant down and kissed her- breaking the oath I had with kate but aiding Charlotte in her journey to become healed once more.


	3. Chapter 3

I watched Charlotte 'sleep', her chest rising slowly before falling again. I could feel that pang of regret deep in my stomach, yes the kisses had been nice- almost sweet and sensual but that did not mean it was right. She had felt it too- I could tell by the way she began to cry again, falling into my arms before she closed her eyes and rested. The sun was starting to rise now- the first fragments of sunlight peering over the horizon- bringing with it, the familiar burning in my throat which signalled my time to feed. Standing, I pulled the duvet over Charlotte's body; her hands reaching instinctively to pull it tighter round her. I wonder if Peter ever did this- I shake my head and walk out of the room.

Once outside on the fresh morning grass- I break into a sprint, the world flying past me in a blur of colour and sounds. I had struggled to keep to the Denali's way of life but I had gotten there- sticking to the diet of animal blood to sedate my thirst. That did not mean the smell of a human did not interest me. This human, who I could smell as I ran through the forest, smelt divine. The smell of rose water infused with lavender and the fresh fallings of snow wafted on the air- making me pause and smell again. Rose water, Lavender, Snow and- I thought about what else the being smelt of. At first I thought fire but then as I smelt closely- analysing the scent carefully with my brain I realized the smell; Thunder storm. My body froze, in horror and confusion; I thought my mind was playing tricks on me but the smell, smelt all too real. A smell that though similar to others I had met- the smell of an oncoming thunder storm was the giveaway, something that I knew was unique to one person and one person only.

Turning towards the smell, I broke into another run- the sun rising slowly, casting rays down onto the earth. My skin glistened in the patch rays of sunlight as I ran in desperation towards the smell. I stopped- the smell very close now, and I continued on foot. It wasn't long before I found what the smell had belonged to; my dead heart contracted painfully before releasing in a sigh of relief and hope. In the middle of a sun lit clearing- where the earth was still brown and dead, sat a girl; naked. She did her best to cover herself, her arms hugging herself and her long slender legs crossing over each other. Her eyes, her deep navy blue eyes- were wide and afraid, trying to grasp everything in her line of vision. She seemed lost, confused, and afraid; a small whimpering sound echoed out her mouth as she sat shaking. I stared at her, taking in her face; slender nose, lips, high cheek bones- the face of Katrina Denali.

I stood there for a minute or two unsure of whether to approach her or not; but after those moments of thought, I found myself walking towards her. She saw me, and I wasn't sure if she had frozen in fear or was mesmerised by my skin sparkling in the sun- probably both. When I reached her, I knelt down to her level- her eyes following me as I went. I reached to touch her shoulder, and she flinched away in fear.

"It's okay" I cooed wrapping my jacket round her "I won't hurt you…"

She stares at me, recognition absent from her eyes. I carefully lift her in my arms and carry her home.


End file.
